Cutting off the water

While Zhang Lingfeng cultivated tirelessly day and night, hoping to surpass Ye Fan as soon as possible, Zhang Erxi, who oversaw plowing, sowing, and harvesting, brought a group of laborers to Little Moon Mountain.

They inspected the three hundred and sixty mu of land acquired from the Wang family.

Baiyang County lay in the south.

Its climate was warm.

Two crops of rice and one crop of winter wheat could be grown each year.

Rice was sown at the start of spring and harvested in summer. Before summer ended, another crop of rice was sown and then harvested before the end of autumn. Wheat was sown at the start of winter and harvested at the start of the following spring.

The Wang family's three hundred and sixty mu of land-

They had acquired it just as spring began.

Now, the three hundred and sixty mu were a sea of green, the rice already over half a meter tall.

With thick roots and lush leaves, it was just the time to fertilize.

Zhang Erxi and a group of laborers arrived at the fields carrying loads of cattle, sheep, and chicken manure on shoulder poles.

"Second Master, why is there no water in the fields?"

One laborer spoke.

Chicken manure was rich fertilizer, while cow manure gave it body. Chicken manure scattered in a paddy needed rainwater to dilute it; otherwise, the rice could not absorb it, and prolonged soaking in manure slurry would affect the harvest.

"Second Master, the water supply's been cut off."

Zhang Erxi had just set down the load on his shoulders when a laborer who had gone halfway up the mountain ran back to report.

"Who has the gall to cut off the Zhang Clan's water supply?"

Following the irrigation channel uphill, Zhang Erxi led the laborers up Little Moon Mountain.

"Oh, isn't this Zhang Er?"

A group appeared on Little Moon Mountain, including laborers and sturdy hired hands. An old man among them who looked like a steward called out a greeting.

"Steward Li, good thing you're here. Why has the water suddenly stopped? We brought a whole group today to fertilize the fields."

Zhang Erxi greeted him.

The Li Clan was one of the largest landowning families nearby. They supported martial artists and owned five or six thousand mu of land.

Several nearby water sources were under the Li Clan's control.

The three hundred and sixty mu from the Wang family used the Li Clan's water supply, for which an annual water fee had to be paid. Master Zhang had already made arrangements and paid the fee in full.

"You've come at a bad time, Zhang Er. There isn't enough water this year. You'll have to find another source for those three hundred and sixty mu."

Steward Li sighed.

"How could that be? Little Moon Mountain's water irrigates over a thousand mu every year."

Zhang Erxi smiled.

"Not this year."

Steward Li wore a stern expression as he told the sturdy hired hands behind him, "Anyone who dares tamper with the Li Clan's water supply won't be walking down this mountain. Understood?"

"Understood!"

They answered in unison.

Their momentum surged like a rainbow, their voices echoing across Little Moon Mountain.

Zhang Erxi and the laborers behind him were all frightened. They could only hurry back and tell Zhang Da and Master Zhang what had happened.

At the Zhang Clan compound.

Master Zhang and Zhang Da had already gone to the Li Clan.

Zhang Erxi and Zhang Sanfu waited at home for news.

"The Li Clan did this deliberately. Why else would they choose to cut off the water during the final fertilizing? They're clearly trying to cut off our source of income."

Zhang Sanfu spoke indignantly.

"Father and Eldest Brother are back."

Zhang Erxi saw Master Zhang and Zhang Da return with dark expressions.

"Father, what did Master Li say?"

Zhang Sanfu pressed.

Master Zhang said nothing. Seething with anger, he sat down first. Zhang Da poured him a bowl of water before telling the other two, "Master Li wants to buy those three hundred and sixty mu for five hundred taels. Otherwise, he won't let us keep using Little Moon Mountain's water. Those three hundred and sixty mu will have to depend on Heaven for their harvest."

"Outrageous! Won't they accept a higher water fee?"

Zhang Erxi asked.

"No. They want those three hundred and sixty mu."

Zhang Da shook his head.

"Father, the Li Clan never seemed to do anything like this when the Wang family held the land."

Zhang Sanfu said.

"They're targeting us."

Master Zhang set down his tea bowl.

"Then what do you think we should do?"

Zhang Erxi asked.

"In a while, have your eldest brother go into town and ask Lingfeng whether he has a way. If he doesn't, we'll see what we can do."

Master Zhang sighed.

He knew the Li Clan was one of the most powerful landowning families nearby and supported martial artists. They knew full well that Zhang Lingfeng trained at the Guo Wei Martial Arts School and had successfully broken through into Ming Jin, yet they still dared to do this. Clearly, they were completely confident they had the Zhang Clan in the palm of their hand.

This would not be easy to resolve.

After eating his fill, Zhang Da took Xu Laiyi and drove the carriage into town to find Zhang Lingfeng. By the time they reached the county town, Zhang Lingfeng had just returned from practicing his boxing at the martial arts school.

He was not in a good mood either.

Today, Ye Fan seemed intent on opposing him. When he invited Liu Feng and several other Ming Jin fellow disciples out for a meal, Ye Fan actually stopped them and offered to treat them himself, leaving only Zhang Lingfeng out.

He was deliberately trying to undermine the stability of Zhang Lingfeng's circle. Fortunately, everyone knew Ye Fan could not possibly think much of them or want much contact with them, so they all found excuses to refuse. Even so, Ye Fan had ruined the gathering.

After returning, Zhang Lingfeng told Zhang Pingping what had happened.

"He doesn't know what's good for him!"

Zhang Pingping was somewhat annoyed.

She had already investigated his background. Ye Fan came from a butcher's family. How could he compare with their landowning family?

"It must be because I didn't take the initiative to befriend him and gathered the other Ming Jin disciples around me instead. That upset him, so he deliberately disrupted things."

Zhang Lingfeng explained.

"He's far too overbearing. Someone like that has a petty heart and narrow guts. You'll have to guard against him in the future. He shouldn't be allowed to obtain the thirteenth move."

Zhang Pingping was furious.

Zhang Lingfeng was her own younger brother, whom she always protected with care. She had never expected a butcher's son to give him trouble at the martial arts school.

"Mm."

Zhang Lingfeng nodded. Ye Fan was currently the flesh closest to Guo Wei's heart, so he could only endure for now. But no matter what, the thirteenth move could only be his.

"They cut off the water?"

"They want to buy those three hundred and sixty mu for five hundred taels?"

"The Li Clan certainly talks big."

Zhang Lingfeng nearly laughed aloud. Li Youtian was indulging in sheer fantasy.

"The Li Clan supports martial artists, and they know you've mastered Ming Jin. Your grandfather wanted to know whether any of your senior brothers at the school could help."

Zhang Dadao said.

Zhang Lingfeng first thought of Wu Yun.

But Wu Yun was currently busy building ties with Ye Fan.

Besides, he could not run to Wu Yun for help whenever anything happened. Without the ability to stand on his own, he would not only be looked down upon but also have people climbing onto his head to bully him.

Just like Ye Fan, who had actually dared to disrupt his gathering.

"Father, have you approached the Wang family?"

Zhang Pingping asked.

"I did. Master Wang shut his doors and refused to see me."

Zhang Dadao said.

"Lingfeng broke off the engagement, and we pried those three hundred and sixty mu out of their hands. It's only natural that Master Wang doesn't want to deal with us."

Zhang Da added.

"I was wondering whether the Wang family might have something to do with this."

Zhang Pingping explained.

Hearing this, both Zhang Da and Zhang Lingfeng froze.

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